P-17 enfield history???

WyomingSwede
Moderator
Posts: 110
(10/20/01 8:22:50 am)
Reply | Edit | Del All P-17 enfield history???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently got lucky and acquired one of these rifles in good condition. I am familiar with mausers but this is not my area of expertise. I posted a description in the "whats it worth section".
Was this not the rifle that Sgt. York used?? Wasn't it the main battle rifle for the doughboys in WWI? Any info as to history or even a website or two would be appreciated. regards swede
Wyoming Swede

It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here. Patrick Henry 1765

Yes, Sgt. York used the Enfield, but according to his diary, after they got to France they turned them in for "British guns".

"MAY 21, 1918

LeHavre, France: So we got to France at Le Havre. There we turned in our guns and got British guns. Well, we went out from Le Havre to a little inland camp. I had taken a liking to my gun by this time. I had taken it apart and cleaned it enough to learn every piece and I could almost put it back together with my eyes shut. The Greeks and Italians were improving. They had stayed continuously on the rifle range for a month or two and got so they could shoot well. They were fairly good pals, too. But I missed the Tennesseans. I was the only mountaineer in the platoon. I didn't like the British guns so well. I don't think they were as accurate as our American rifles. Ho ho."

polishshooter
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
Posts: 1939
(10/22/01 9:29:07 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del Re: P-17 enfield history???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Canfield says the Doughboys referred to the P17s quite often as "British Enfields," and cites that quote...he believes they just got different 17s, and since they were in England at the time, that's why they called them "British."

No doughboys used P14s or SMLEs according to Canfield, and he's the best I found.

The only troops in Europe using '03 Springfields in WWI were the Marines...

We must make war as we must; not as we would like. - Field Marshal Kitchener, 1915

obelix2
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 263
(10/23/01 2:28:01 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del and lovely rifles they are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But what's going on with the bayonets? Where did SOG get a ton of them so they can sell them so cheap?

And I've seen these advertised cheaply elsewhere recently for like $40 also, as "Trench Gun" bayonets...which they were, too...but I think whereever I saw them they had scabbards too not like SOG...
We must make war as we must; not as we would like. - Field Marshal Kitchener, 1915

Edited by: polishshooter at: 10/23/01 3:46:52 pm

obelix2
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 265
(10/27/01 1:52:46 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del the trench-knife variants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
were done by the French post-War, I think. While shortening the bayonet, they also cut off the muzzle loop. These do have original -- for them -- sheathes. But I can't understand how one in original bayonet configuration can go -- scabbard or not -- for forty bucks. The only reason I haven't ordered 200 of them is that... well... uh...

obelix2
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 267
(10/27/01 2:04:31 pm)
Reply | Edit | Del addendum
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The reason I haven't been around the history forum these days is that most of it is Real Stuff. I'm not too comfortable with anything after the battle of Culloden (1746), but I can survive discussions of the Korean Conflict. Believe me, please: you do not want to hear my opinions on anything later.